Post by Ron Kulas on Dec 26, 2017 22:03:45 GMT -6
Back in 2013 I took an old knife that had been laying around in my shop in Wisconsin and I had an idea for what to do with it. I don't recall how I came to own this knife but I knew it deserved better than its dusty life in the corner of my shop. As a custom knife maker I have too many old knives that need a new life.
The knife I talking about is a old Western Brand L39 made in Colorado. The vintage ad for these knifes speaks to big game adventures.
But sadly, this knife that ought to be experiencing grand adventure was sitting, rusted and damaged and neglected in my shop in Wisconsin.
The plan I had for L39 was to ensure it saw the sort of adventures it was designed for but Not in its current condition and without a sheath to carry it. The first step was to restore L39 to its former glory.
Then I had to make a proper sheath to protect L39 and the adventurers that would strap the knife to their hip as they travel the world.
I got some thick tooling leather and made a wooden blade form to shape the leather.
Back in 2013, I was not in a position to take L39 all over the globe on big game hunting adventures so I offered L39 to other adventurers on a hunting forum on the web. This was to be traveling knife program.
This is the letter that traveled with L39
"Thank you for volunteering to be a part of this traveling knife program. I hope you get as much enjoyment out of it as I have in setting it up. The plan is to have this knife travel the world in search of adventure that I cannot provide. The plan is to send L39 on as many adventures as possible. When you have returned from your adventure, please send it to the next person before they embark on their hunt.
There will not always be time to return the knife to me to send to the next hunter so you will need to coordinate with the others to make sure L39 does not miss the boat or plane or truck. This knife is not meant to sit idle."
I also included a shipping container to get L39 from hunter to hunter.
I had not seen L39 since it left my shop in 2013 So where had L39 been over the last 4+ years? I was able to track down one of the adventurers that carried L39 and he knew the last hunter to carry it. I asked him to arrange the return of L39 for a couple reasons, First off, I figured L39 was in need of some TLC and I was curious of the adventures the knife had been on. When I first shipped L39 I included a list that I wanted the users to fill out so as to keep a running tab on the travels of L39. The list asked the hunters to list the locations they took the knife, the species they hunted and the dates.
I was surprised to have L39 returned to me with this list considering the travels and years.
L39 left Wisconsin and has been to
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Maine
Michigan
Newfoundland Canada
South Africa
South Dakota
Wisconsin
Wyoming
Idaho
Some of these destinations were duplicated by a variety of hunters.
Some of the species hunted while carrying L39 were
Whitetail Deer
Sitka Blacktail deer
Elk
Moose
Grizzly bear
Caribou
Snow Geese
Sturgeon
Monkey
Impala
Baboon
Wildebeest
Warthog
Kudu
Zebra
Gemsbuck
Waterbuck
Here is a sample of some of the pictures of the adventures of L39
Stabbed into the side of an African tree at sunset.
I'm pleased with the many people and places and species L39 has seen and pursued. L39 has seen some great adventures. This traveling knife programs is doing exactly what I had hoped it would when I started it in 2013 but there was one destination and a couple species I did not see on the list and this leads me to the final reason I wanted L39 returned to me. In Mid February of 2018 I will be taking L39 to a few of the Hawaiian Islands while bowhunting Polynesian boar and perhaps Vancouver Bulls and Sheep, goats, etc. so the adventure continues.
If you have read this post and you have hunted with L39 and have photos you could send me I would love to include them. You can send the images to ron_kulas@yahoo.com
to be continued........................
The knife I talking about is a old Western Brand L39 made in Colorado. The vintage ad for these knifes speaks to big game adventures.
But sadly, this knife that ought to be experiencing grand adventure was sitting, rusted and damaged and neglected in my shop in Wisconsin.
The plan I had for L39 was to ensure it saw the sort of adventures it was designed for but Not in its current condition and without a sheath to carry it. The first step was to restore L39 to its former glory.
Then I had to make a proper sheath to protect L39 and the adventurers that would strap the knife to their hip as they travel the world.
I got some thick tooling leather and made a wooden blade form to shape the leather.
Back in 2013, I was not in a position to take L39 all over the globe on big game hunting adventures so I offered L39 to other adventurers on a hunting forum on the web. This was to be traveling knife program.
This is the letter that traveled with L39
"Thank you for volunteering to be a part of this traveling knife program. I hope you get as much enjoyment out of it as I have in setting it up. The plan is to have this knife travel the world in search of adventure that I cannot provide. The plan is to send L39 on as many adventures as possible. When you have returned from your adventure, please send it to the next person before they embark on their hunt.
There will not always be time to return the knife to me to send to the next hunter so you will need to coordinate with the others to make sure L39 does not miss the boat or plane or truck. This knife is not meant to sit idle."
I also included a shipping container to get L39 from hunter to hunter.
I had not seen L39 since it left my shop in 2013 So where had L39 been over the last 4+ years? I was able to track down one of the adventurers that carried L39 and he knew the last hunter to carry it. I asked him to arrange the return of L39 for a couple reasons, First off, I figured L39 was in need of some TLC and I was curious of the adventures the knife had been on. When I first shipped L39 I included a list that I wanted the users to fill out so as to keep a running tab on the travels of L39. The list asked the hunters to list the locations they took the knife, the species they hunted and the dates.
I was surprised to have L39 returned to me with this list considering the travels and years.
L39 left Wisconsin and has been to
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Maine
Michigan
Newfoundland Canada
South Africa
South Dakota
Wisconsin
Wyoming
Idaho
Some of these destinations were duplicated by a variety of hunters.
Some of the species hunted while carrying L39 were
Whitetail Deer
Sitka Blacktail deer
Elk
Moose
Grizzly bear
Caribou
Snow Geese
Sturgeon
Monkey
Impala
Baboon
Wildebeest
Warthog
Kudu
Zebra
Gemsbuck
Waterbuck
Here is a sample of some of the pictures of the adventures of L39
Stabbed into the side of an African tree at sunset.
I'm pleased with the many people and places and species L39 has seen and pursued. L39 has seen some great adventures. This traveling knife programs is doing exactly what I had hoped it would when I started it in 2013 but there was one destination and a couple species I did not see on the list and this leads me to the final reason I wanted L39 returned to me. In Mid February of 2018 I will be taking L39 to a few of the Hawaiian Islands while bowhunting Polynesian boar and perhaps Vancouver Bulls and Sheep, goats, etc. so the adventure continues.
If you have read this post and you have hunted with L39 and have photos you could send me I would love to include them. You can send the images to ron_kulas@yahoo.com
to be continued........................
